I get countless e-mails, and it makes it so much worse when I get absolute rubbish sent through to me from friends and family members alike.
Let me quickly explain the top reason why you forwarding an e-mail is my problem.
- Have a look at the e-mail you’re forwarding. Chances are, you’ve included hundreds of people’s e-mail addresses. By forwarding to people and using the “To:” field of your e-mail client, you’re basically giving your e-mail address to everyone else you’re sending that e-mail to. And if that gets forwarded on, and not removing them, those e-mail addresses get sent around the internet. Would you give your telephone number or address to a complete stranger? No? Well STOP GIVING MY E-MAIL OUT. I’ve seen e-mails with literally thousands of e-mail addresses. Were it to fall into the hands of a certain sort of person, that list would make them money.
- You will not get a free laptop if you forward the e-mail on. Bill Gates will not give you any money at all. Your wishes will not magically come true. You will not get good luck. You will not suddenly fall in love. Fairies will not appear and grant you 3 wishes.
- You will piss people off.
- You think you’re being useful by sending on that “latest virus news”? You’re not – you’re fuelling spam which means YOU are just as bad as the VIRUS that you’re trying to warn people about. Protect yourself with anti-virus and anti-spyware software. If you don’t have some, get some here. It’s free, and better than Norton Antivirus Bloatware.
- Warning people about telephone scams? See above.
- Warning people about postal scams? See above.
- “Oh but my gran/mum/sister might not know and I wouldn’t want them to get scammed!!!” Your gran/mum/sister has common sense, and chances are they will have read the e-mail and forgotten about it anyway – scammers are clever and get you to do things like forwarding e-mails – oh whoops! You already did that…
- “I thought I’d send it just in case…” Again – YOU’RE SPAMMING, stop it. There is no reason to forward the e-mail you want to, so stop it.
- It wastes my time, which I could be spending doing something productive, or spending time with my daughter. It also wastes your time.
I’m fed up of it, so please, do me a favour and stop forwarding e-mails – not just to me, but to anyone. By forwarding e-mails, you are fuelling internet spam.
If you continue forwarding e-mails, then don’t you dare moan about how much spam you get.
Do yourself a favour, and if you recieve a forwarded e-mail from someone, send them a link to this article.
